Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), smart tags, audio/video equipment, and set-top boxes are frequently used for communication. Portable electronic devices can communicate with each other through short-range wireless communications. For example, a mobile phone can communicate with a PDA through short-range wireless communications, such as short-range radio (e.g., BLUETOOTH®), InfraRed light (IR), and Near Field Communications (NFC). BLUETOOTH®, as used herein, refers a short-range wireless communication protocol.
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a contactless-type short-range wireless communication technology. NFC utilizes a frequency band of 13.56 Megahertz and transmits data at a maximum rate of 424 Kbps. The electronic devices in NFC operate in a close proximity, for example, approximately 10 centimeters, and consume very little power. As a result, NFC is becoming a more prevalent technology for exchanging and sharing information in NFC compatible electronic devices.
NFC compatible electronic devices adhere to International Standards Organization (ISO) 18092 standards. Further, NFC compatible electronic devices can operate in deferent operating modes, for example, a reader/writer mode, a peer-to-peer mode, and a card emulation mode. The different operating modes are based on ISO/IEC 18092 NFC Interface Protocol (NPCIP)-I and ISO/International Electrical Commission (IEC) 14443 contactless smart card standards. For clarity and for ease of description, the NFC compatible electronic devices will be referred to herein as electronic devices.
In the reader/writer mode, the electronic device is capable of reading NFC forum mandated tag types. A tag in this mode may be either active or passive. However, the tag becomes active and will be ready for communication when a reader electronic device is at a close proximity to the tag. In the Peer-to-Peer mode of operation, a legacy NFC electronic device works in a Half-Duplex mode of operation using protocols that enable Peer-to-Peer mode of operation. In the card emulation mode, the electronic devices acts as an NFC tag to work as a traditional contactless smart card.
In NFC, an electronic device can exchange information like phone numbers, images, audio/video files, and other applications with other electronic devices without user operation. However, the exchange of information content is usually only capable over a short distance and is based on a services and applications match.
For example, to set-up a connection and a communication between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, the electronic devices are initially brought into close proximity to each other. Thereafter, a connection is established. The first electronic device then sends a request for an exchange of information to the second electronic device. The request is associated with a predefined service/application in the first electronic device. The predefined service is then searched for in a plurality of services registered at an application layer in the second electronic device. Thereby, communication is established based on a predefined service match.
For example, if the first electronic device and the second electronic device have the predefined service, the communication process is initiated. However, if the predefined service is not matched, the second electronic device sends a notification to the first electronic device stating that there is no service match. Therefore, communication is not possible and the communication link cannot be created. This may lead to user inconveniences, as the user is notified only at the end of the method that the communication is not possible due to a mismatch of services. Further, the method is not time efficient.
Hence there exists a need to establish communication between electronic devices based on a plurality of services and applications.